Presented by David Kasher

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In his new book, ParshaNut, Rabbi David Kasher offers 54 essays exploring the vast but understudied genre of Jewish Torah commentary. From the masters of midrash who began the tradition, to the medieval commentators who defined the style, on down to the scholars of the modern age, Kasher leads an impassioned tour through the history of Jewish biblical interpretation.

“With engaging clarity and vivacity, Kasher presents a wide range of traditional commentaries on the biblical text. In each chapter, he poses a central question which then becomes a field for vigorous discussion, pursued in a contemporary conversational tone. Kasher arrives at sometimes provocative resolutions and the reader is drawn into the work of parshanut, of biblical interpretation, which is clearly a passion for him, and irresistibly becomes a passion for the reader too.”
– Dr. Avivah Gottleib Zornberg, author of Genesis: The Beginning of Desire

Rabbi David Kasher grew up between the Bay Area and Brooklyn. He holds a BA from Wesleyan University, a JSD from Berkeley Law, and rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Kasher is a teacher of many forms of classical Jewish literature, but Torah commentary is his greatest passion. For five years he produced the weekly ParshaNut blog and podcast.